1. Responsibility in Alcohol Retailing
Aims
To understand the nature, strength and effects of alcohol
To appreciate the need to avoid disorderly conduct on licensed premises and the social responsibilities of all licence holders
Learning Outcomes:
Understand the nature and strength of alcohol and its effects on the body
Understand the rights and legal duties of the responsible persons in relation to the operation of licensed premises
Assessment criteria
State the legal definition of alcohol in the Licensing Act 2003
State what ‘supply of alcohol’ means
State how the strength of an alcoholic drink is measured
Define the terms ‘alcohol-free’ and ‘low-alcohol’
State the UK government’s sensible drinking advice
State the intoxicating nature of alcohol
Identify the effects of alcohol on the body
State the duty to refuse the sale of alcohol to a drunken person
State the law and industry guidelines on irresponsible drinks promotions
Identify anti-violence strategies that can be adopted on licensed premises
Identify the consequences of allowing illegal drug use and dealing on licensed premises
Identify who is legally responsible for preventing disorderly conduct on licensed premises
State penalties for allowing drunk and disorderly conduct on licensed premises
Suggestions for training resources
The government’s alcohol strategy
Drink driving posters/beer mats or other point-of-sale material
Alcohol unit calculator 7
Responsibility in Alcohol Retailing

2. The strength of alcoholic drinks
An intoxicating substance with an alcohol by volume (abv) of over 0.5%
Amounts of alcohol in drinks as a percentage abv:
Most spirits 40%
Wines %
Beers %
Ciders %
Must provide customers with accurate
information regarding alcohol content and the availability of small measures
The alcohol-free and low alcohol should be explained to candidates as these are easily confused
Abv is the amount of pure alcohol by volume contained in a drink. The higher the abv the more alcohol it contains
Alcohol-free – no more than 0.05%
Low-alcohol – no more than 1.2%

3. Calculating units Alcoholic drinks A unit of alcohol is either:
Different types and quantities of drinks contain different amounts of units of alcohol
A unit of alcohol is either:
8 grams of alcohol, or
10 millilitres of alcohol
To calculate the number of units use the following formula:
Consumers often find it difficult to calculate the number of units contained in a drink due to increased strength and larger measures.
Volume of drink (ml) x abv (% alcohol by volume) x = number of units of alcohol

4. Units of alcohol Work out the following:
double shot of gin (50ml) at 40%
pint of bitter (568ml) at 4.5%
glass of wine (125ml) at 13%
These drinks contain approximately 1 unit:
A single shot of
(25ml) of spirits
An ordinary measure
(50ml) of sherry/port
or vermouth, abv 20%
Ask candidates to guess the number of units first then help them to work out the number of units using the formula. Are there any surprises?
Assure them that they will not be asked to use this formula or know how may units are contained in the drink’s basic alcohol drinks.
The answers are:
2 units
2.6 units
1.6 units
A small (125ml) glass of wine with an abv of 8%
Half a pint of normal
strength (abv 4%) beer/lager or cider

5. Effects of alcohol consumption
Consumption affects emotional, physical and mental state
A person becomes drunk when alcohol enters the body quicker than it is eliminated
The speed at which it enters the bloodstream, depends upon:
quantity and strength consumed
size of person
gender
age, tolerance and general health
amount and type of food eaten
time of day
The removal of alcohol from the body begins after 20 minutes. It takes about 1 hour to remove 1 unit of alcohol from the body. This is why some people may be over the legal driving limit the day after.
Discuss steps that licence holders might take to discourage drinking and driving.
1 hour to remove
1 unit of alcohol

6. Guidelines and patterns of consumption
UK Chief Medical Officer’s lower-risk drinking guideline
Categories of consumption:
Sensible drinking
Hazardous drinker
Harmful drinker
Binge drinking
MEN
14 units per week
to be spread over
the week
Sustained heavy or chronic drinking may lead to alcoholic addiction and health problems.
WOMEN
14 units per week
to be spread evenly
over the week
New guidelines from UK Chief Medical Officers’ replaces original advice of 1995 and warns that drinking any level of alcohol increases the risk of developing a range of illnesses including cancers.
The main changes are:
a single guideline of up to 14 units per week for both men and women
spread the 14 units evenly over 3 days or more
have several drink-free days each week
limit the total amount of alcohol on any single occasion, drink more slowly and alternate with water
no level of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy

7. Blood alcohol levels
Never assess a person’s ability to drive legally
Best advice is not to drink and drive
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is an objective measure used in drink-driving offences
Driving limits BAC of 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood or 35 micrograms in 100ml of breath
Drunkenness is a subjective assessment of a person’s behaviour
Discuss with candidates any strategies they may use to discourage drink-driving.
The drink-driving limits are:
80 mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood
35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath

8. Promoting lower-risk drinking
Give clear information on alcohol content
Encourage awareness of smaller measures
Provide lower-strength alternatives
Display products responsibly
Offer range of food and hot beverages
Discuss with candidates the consequences of excessive drinking including:
Short term dangers for individuals
Longer term social and health problems
Consequences for business
Consequences for society
Provide wide range of soft drinks
Train staff to promote lower-risk drinking

9. Legal duties
The premises licence holder, the DPS and those with the authority to sell alcohol have a legal duty to:
prevent disorderly conduct
refuse to serve a person who is drunk
ask disorderly or drunken persons to leave
Maximum Penalty £1000
Serving a person who is or who appears to be drunk is an offence
The sale of alcohol or allowing the sale to take place carries a level 3 penalty - £1,000 fine
It is also an offence knowingly to allow the sale to a drunk person to take place
This also carries a fixed penalty fine which can be imposed by an officer in uniform present at the time
Anyone who knowingly buys or attempts to buy alcohol for consumption on the premises, by a person who is drunk, is committing an offence
Everyone on licensed premises has a duty to prevent disorderly conduct on the premises
Police assistance may be needed to remove drunk and disorderly persons. They commit an offence if they fail to leave when asked to do so
KEY POINT
It is an offence to sell or permit the sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk
Alcohol must not be sold if it is intended for a person who is drunk.

10. Irresponsible alcohol promotions
Promotions that encourage over-consumption of alcohol contributing to anti-social behaviour and drunkenness
A mandatory condition on licensed premises and club premises must not allow irresponsible promotions such as:
drinking games
unlimited or unspecified free alcohol
offers or incentives for specific groups
alcohol as a prize
promotions linked to sporting events
promotional signs or posters encouraging drunkenness
dispensing alcohol directly into the mouth
Irresponsible promotions should not be operated as there is a risk that they may result in the overconsumption of alcohol and/or drunk and disorderly behaviour
Ask candidates to identify and then discuss any irresponsible promotions of alcohol they may have encountered

11. How can the threat of conflict be reduced?
Remain vigilant
Provide efficient and effective service
Depersonalise refusals
Monitor areas including toilets/car parks
Employ security guards/door supervisors
Use CCTV
Encourage a social mix of customers
For on-trade also consider:
Class Question
Ask candidates to identify ways in which the risk of conflict or violence is reduced on their premises.
search policy
anti-violence policy
door supervisors

12. Illegal drugs It is an offence to turn a blind eye to drug activity
Adopt a zero-tolerance approach
Increase staff vigilance and checking of customer toilets
Not taking action may lead to an increase in crime and disorder
Seek advice and assistance from police
Licensed premises may be natural targets for drugs dealers and users
Turning a blind eye to drugs activity is seen as allowing it to take place
Staff need to be trained to look out for signs of drugs activity and paraphernalia
May need police advice and assistance to remove those involved in drugs activity on licensed premises.
Under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, it is an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, export or import substances known as ‘legal highs’, although it is not illegal to possess these substances. The definition does not include alcohol or tobacco.
KEY POINT
Discourage staff from approaching those suspected of drug activity

13. How much do you know?
What are the Chief Medical Officer’s lower-risk guidelines
for maximum weekly alcohol consumption by women?
At least 14 units a week
Up to 21 units a week
The correct answer is C.
Up to 14 units a week
3 – 4 units per day

14. How much do you know?
Following the refusal to serve a customer with alcohol,
what would be the best strategy to reduce the risk of violence?
State legal obligation regarding the refusal and explain it’s not personal
Call the police to remove the person
The correct answer is A.
Call the manager to deal with the situation
Refuse to give a reason for refusal